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This series of emails and PMs focuses on situations that many Test Takers face during their studies. The names of the original posters have been changed to protect their identities.
600 to 700: Should I Be Focused On the Hard Questions?
Rich,
I'm pretty efficient in the test overall, and I’ve been scoring in the mid 600s for over a month, but I've been having problems with the most difficult questions. I have a few books, including the OG. Can someone point me to the best place to get additional help with the hard questions?
Delta
Dear Delta,
While many people become concerned about "hard" questions during their studies, it's possible that those questions are NOT what you need to be focusing on. When you review your CATs, how many questions did you get wrong because of a silly/little mistake and how many questions did you get wrong because they were just ‘too hard’? I’ll bet that there are plenty of ‘gettable’ questions that you’re overlooking to focus on the hard stuff. There’s also a decent chance that what you consider a ‘hard’ question could actually be a 'gettable' question if you just use a different (strategic) approach. Until you eliminate the little mistakes that you’re making, you shouldn’t be worrying about harder questions and rare categories.
The Proper Way To Test Verbal Abilities
Rich,
Quick question – I’m looking to get as realistic of a diagnostic on my current verbal abilities. As such, I’m looking for the most accurate practice cat for verbal. Is it gmatprep??
Also, what are your thoughts on only taking the verbal section without awa, ir, and quant? Of course my score will be inflated; guess my question is by how much, and can the verbal score still provide some value/indication of current ability?
Really appreciate your thoughts/direction.
Epsilon
Dear Epsilon,
The most realistic CATs available are the 2 that you can get for free (and the 2 others that you can purchase in Exam Pack 1) from www.mba.com
Taking one section of a CAT for practice is normally NOT a good idea. If your main problem is with the verbal section, then you have to practice 2 things:
1) Verbal content and strategy/tactics
2) Endurance
Taking a verbal section out of context means that you didn't do all the necessary work that appears in the 3 hours BEFORE you take the verbal section. The net effect is that you're not dealing with fatigue, which is something that you will have to deal with on Test Day.
By not taking a realistic practice CAT, your score could end up wildly overinflated because your brain is fresh and you aren't carrying around any of the angst/stress/fatigue from the prior sections. You can find plenty of verbal practice in books and online, but a CAT is best used to measure your overall performance, not just one section.
Raising a V38 to V40+
Rich,
I'm constantly scoring high 30s for my verbal score, averaging about a 38. However I've hit a ceiling and I'm having trouble breaking through to the 40s. What's the difference between someone scoring high 30s and low 40s? I get the easy/mid questions right for RC,CR,SC correct. It looks like my problem is with the 700-800 level questions. Should I specifically target higher level questions? Will more exposure to these help?
Zeta
Dear Zeta,
The difference you're talking about (38 to low 40s) is remarkably thin. That level requires a higher level of detail (more note-taking, attention to Focus and Main Point, knowledge of rarer grammar rules, knowledge of what typical "wrong" answers look like, etc.).
Scoring a 38 means that you have a strong aptitude and skills across all 3 Verbal categories, so it's possible that you need to change the physical and psychological ways with which you're tackling the verbal section, and not anything mental.
To that end, make sure that you're taking notes on every question, sitting up in your chair (proper posture and breathing can make a huge difference in your performance, especially late in the test), and using your breaks for a quick snack/drink and some exercise.
You might also consider slowing down a bit as you're doing your work. Many Test Takers come out of the Quant section feeling "frazzled" by the fact that they had to rush to finish. They then carry that energy into the verbal and rush through THAT section. Finishing 10-15 minutes early is actually quite common, BUT it provides no benefit. If you can slow down and use that extra time to your advantage, then you'll likely pick up many of the points that you lost due to minor mistakes.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
